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September 2024
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The 5 most common false friends21/1/2022 Let's start with a definition: what is a false friend?
It's a word that looks or sounds the same in two languages, so it's easy to believe that the meaning is the same. However, in reality, the meaning is different, and it's very easy to make a mistake and confuse the person you are talking to. So, I've made a list of the five most common false friends that I hear in a professional context. 1. Actually. In English, "actually" is a synonym for "in fact". We never use "actually" to talk about time, or what's happening at the moment. 2. Agenda. An agenda is a list of points that you talk about during a meeting. Be careful, an agenda is NOT a timetable. 3. Attend. "Attend" means to be present. Are you going to attend the meeting this afternoon? 4. Eventually. This means "finally". Today, I eventually managed to catch up on writing my blog! 5. Important. We use "important" to talk about a person or an object which has importance. The Queen is an important person. However, please don't use "important" to express the idea of quantity, it just isn't possible in English. You could use "large" "sizeable" or "considerable" instead. Of course, there are a lot more than five false friends! If you're not sure if a word is a false friend, there's only one solution: use your dictionary! Your dictionary is your true friend!
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